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naoa-ao3 · 1 year ago

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Chaos's Advocate

Ethan has never been someone that actively likes having 'the man' on his side but occasionally there have been times that seem to present it as the only option and currently he's dealing with one of those exact moments.

Things went poorly with Ripper. A little, harmless fun and suddenly he was being hauled into the back of a military van with six kids playing little, tin soldier, all in Kevlar and green face paint.

It's comical and yet he's heard of these people and so for once he isn't laughing.

He's only heard in vague rumors and whispers, they're nothing like the Watchers. He doesn't even consider them the American counterpart, just some crude product of the military industrial complex and man's ignorance.

They're looking at him suspiciously, like they think he's going to turn into a demon and attack them but he sits still and doesn't do a single thing.

"Giles filled me in on you." The young man he'd seen talking to Rupert say's, earning his undivided attention. "Say's you're a chaos mage."

Ethan smiles a little, pleased if those were Rupert's exact words. "How very flattering." He says.

The boy narrows his eyes but try as he might he doesn't look that dangerous, there's something wholesome about his face. Ethan doubts he's ever had much trouble in life or with the ladies. Barbie meet Ken. Bam.

"I wouldn't call it flattery myself." The boy say's, eyes clear and honest. Oh, he hasn't found those wicked bones in his body yet but Ethan knows everyone's got them. Even the one's that think they don't. They're the worst of all. Confident and unable to recognize their own cruelty. . . even when it's too late. Utterly dull people, hiding from themselves.

"Oh, I'm sure." Ethan's still smarting from the bruises and sits back, hands cuffed behind him as he looks around. "Still, it's nice to know he thinks so highly of me."

"He called you dangerous, unpredictable and a miscreant."

He snorts at that, making one of the soldier boys next to him glance over irritably. They're not comfortable with him because they don't know what he is.

Poor, little soldier boys. They're used to things with horns and teeth, not things like him because he isn't really under their jurisdiction. No horns or teeth or claws, just all of the wickedness and conniving of man. He doesn't need a pointed tail to do the things he does.

"He said locking you up would be doing society a favor." The boy continues and Ethan stays silent, wondering if the kid is trying to get a rise out of him.

If he is, he lacks the edge. He could show the boy a thing or two about cruelty and silently he wonders how much potential the boy has for it. Maybe he'd surprise him, after all, he's somehow gotten into this kind of work. There has to be something darker inside of him. People lie to themselves about this kind of thing.

"What a nasty thing to say." Ethan teases, pretending to be hurt.

He isn't. It's exactly the kind of self righteous drivel he's expected Rupert to have sunk into. The man is cocooning himself in the nonsense. Stupid words and beliefs he's never been apart of.

"Yeah well, he told me some of the things you've done." The boy mutters, looking away.

Part of Ethan wants to know what that means. What's he done that was worth remembering? What stayed with his old friend? What did he tell this bastion of American values that's stayed in his mind? What's the boy thinking about?

"I take it, this isn't a trip to the county clink, is it?" Ethan asks at last, not pushing things.

The boy squares his shoulders, the full might of Uncle Sam behind him. It draws contempt from Ethan. "No, you're going to a secure facility for hostiles."

"Hostiles?" Ethan asks, unable to keep a laughter out of his voice. It's all so preposterous sounding. Hostiles. . .

The boy just frowns, apparently not liking his flippancy. "Yeah, the things that go bump in the night."

"Oh dear, then I'm afraid you may have made a mistake." Ethan teases. "I happen to be a hundred percent human."

The soldier boys shift slightly, unnerved by this.

"Cut the crap, we both know a normal prison wouldn't be able to hold you." The one that's been doing all of the speaking say's.

He narrows his eyes because technically that is true. "I think I want my solicitor then."

"There are no lawyers where you're going."

Ethan tuts because he knows a very good law firm that could handle this kind of case in a matter of minutes. "I was under the impression that you tried people before you hanged them in this country."

"That counts for people."

"I've a drivers license. Want to see it?"

The boy looks angry but he can see he looks uncomfortable too, shifting on the metal bench as the truck rumbles on, heading to who knows where.

"A birth certificate, pass port, you could probably call up my old school transcripts if you wanted."

The first gleam of uncertainty in the boy's eye.

"Do you want some baby pictures? I was a lovely lad. My mother thought that I was just the dearest little thing."

The boy masters himself and turns away but the seed of doubt is planted in his mind. He's considering the human aspect.

Ethan coughs for good measure, nothing over the top, just a little throat clearing. It's all very human. "No? Pity, I really was."

"Look, there aren't rules for what you are."

The truck hits a bump in the road but continues on while the other soldier boys listen.

"And what am I?" Ethan smiles. "If you arrested everyone capable of doing a bit of magic you'd run out of room for them all. I could help you with that, I've heard that if you can get the train tracks to go straight to the crematorium it'll be much more efficient. No showers in between. Cuts the time almost in half."

The boy blinks angrily and Ethan knows he's gotten under his skin.

He leans forward, digging the salt into the wound. "So what's it going to be?" He asks. "A lawyer or do you need me to draw up some blue prints?"

"Will you shut up, man?" Someone else asks, sounding angry and unhappy.

Ethan takes that as a win. "Sorry, I was only thinking of due process." He say's.

"Well stop."

But he can tell the boy opposite him is thinking about it. Boy he doesn't want to be a Nazi and it's so funny to him that it's this easy to get to him.

The boy keeps looking at him and when the truck finally stops Ethan knows he has him.

"What's your lawyer's name?" The boy hisses when they're the last two in the van.

Ethan raises his eyebrows. "Wolfram and Hart." He say's. "Be a good lad and put in a call? I'd hate for my rights to be infringed."

The boy doesn't point out that he's not a citizen and that he doesn't necessarily have all of those rights and he appreciates that.

The red blooded, American heart pumping in the kid's chest wants to be one of the good guys so badly.

"Amnesty International and all that."

The kid blinks and looks away, apparently feeling he's doing the right thing.

Ethan smirks to himself.

He's taken in and put in a cell, no Miranda Rights or anything. Amnesty sure would like that, not that he's ever given them a cent.

It's only a day before two more Kevlar boys come to take him away again. They look irritated but don't shove him or do much of anything at all.

They just walk him down to an office where a woman is waiting, she must be Walsh. From Ripper's description he can't imagine who else it would be. She's flinty as any woman he's ever known and he immediately finds himself disdainful towards her.

"Mr. Rayne." She say's in a rather irritable voice.

There's another woman in the room, a much more appealing woman, dark hair and clever eyes. She's stunning, not a drop of school marm in her. She looks sharp and she steps forward and holds out her hand. "Lilah Morgan." She say's. "Your attorney in this matter." Her eyes, so sharp and clever find the other woman. "We're very grateful for your institution's dedication to preserving our country's legal rights. We at Wolfram and Hart work very closely with Amnesty International. Anything less would be appalling to us."

Ethan had heard something about them suing Amnesty at one point. Working closely might not have been the most reliable description in the world.

The woman, Walsh looks more irritated than ever. "Under the circumstances I'm very curious as to how you were notified of Mr. Rayne's incarceration." She say's.

"I assume he used his phone call?" The lawyer asks, eyebrows raised.

They're such a juxtaposition, these two women and yet he wonders if they were at all capable of it, if they'd have gotten along in another room.

They're both hard as nails.

Walsh's jaw tightens. "So it would seem."

"We've reviewed the case and we're going to have to ask for Mr. Rayne's immediate release. Your institution is party to. . . sub human species, I believe you term it? Mr. Rayne has medical records proving he's quite human. We even managed to procure his dental records if you'd like to see them. Polio vaccination, the works. It appears he even broke a finger when he was twelve."

Ethan smiles at the memory. He'd shot his mouth off. . . well worked at it, said every conniving and awful thing he could think of until another kid had hit him. The fight had been worth it even if he had broken his thumb.

Walsh looks immensely displeased. "That will be unnecessary." She say's. "And quite impossible. Mr. Rayne is not your ordinary citizen."

The lawyer smiles like a shark. "Ah." She say's. "Curious you would say that." She say's. "Because he is in fact, not a citizen at all. He's a foreign national and there for this is a more complicated legal matter than what may have first presented itself." She digs out some paperwork, flips through it and feigns confusion. "I can't seem to find the original charge either."

"This is a detainment facility for extra human threats." Walsh snaps but Ethan is enjoying this. Wolfram and Hart aren't interdimensionally famous for nothing. "I can in no way release this man to the public."

"This man?" Lilah asks, interrupting quickly. "I thought you said extra human? If you do have a charge of substance then perhaps Mr. Rayne might be remained to a local state or if the case warrants it, federal prison?"

A muscil twitches in Walsh's jaw and Ethan feels like cheering for the lawyer. "They wouldn't be able to hold him."

"And yet you are without a charge, warrant, processing or. . . did they at least read you your rights?" She asks, voice failing to sound genuinely compassionate as it comes off gleeful.

Ethan shakes his head somberly. "Not that I was aware of. Like the movies, is it?"

Lilah smirks. "Something like that but right now I'd say you have all of the things you need to launch a hefty and profitable case against this institution."

Walsh is white faced with anger. "You have no idea what we're doing here."

"Don't care." The other woman say's and Ethan could have kissed her she's so good at it. Could have kissed her anyway, she'd probably have been sexy doing just about anything. "You've violated the rights of a foreign national and British citizen. However. . ." She comes closer and leans across the desk. "We at Wolfram and Hart share your concern for a. . ." She pauses, eyes sparkling as they find Ethan. "chaos sorcerer on the loose in California. We don't deny what he is, how about a deal?"

Now Ethan likes it a little less and likes her a little less. A deal? It doesn't sound like one he get's a say in either.

"You let him go, we drop the charges and we put him on the first plane back to England. Why waste state money on confinement when deportation is an option? Make him someone else's problem."

"Now hold on!" He starts to say, indignation filling his chest.

The lawyer woman glances at him. "Legalities aside Mr. Rayne, you have a reputation and Wolfram and Hart would like you out of this hemisphere. I'm sure you understand. If you take our offer without complaint, you'll be on a plane by three O'clock this morning."

He's not happy about it, he has things he wants to do while he's still here. Getting back at Ripper is one of them. The bloody maniac actually called the police on him. Well, the demon police as it was.

He crosses his arms like a child. "And if I don't agree?" He asks.

"We're representing you pro bono, that could change and if that changes we might simply cut a deal for a cell with a bed here. Your pick."

Walsh looks at him and he forces himself to smirk. He might be beaten here, just might.

"Well I don't think it's much of a question which is the better deal." He mutters, trying to look pleased.

"We don't either and in this way, you can be assured Dr. Walsh that he won't cause any problems in your jurisdiction either."

"I find your people repulsive." Walsh say's, leaning over her desk and looking at Lilah who looks unphased. "Reprehensible."

Lilah only shrugs. "The prisoner will be remained into our custody until he's safely over the Atlantic."

Walsh nods and Ethan doesn't like that he's still a prisoner. This isn't so much legal representation as it is a custody battle.

"If he comes back and we get him-" Walsh starts to say and Ethan can see why Ripper hates her, she's devoid of any real appeal. She's a brick wall.

"I'm sure that won't be an issue. This has been a harrowing experience for Mr. Rayne and I'm certain one he's not desperate to repeat any time soon."

Lilah gives him an amused look that's more of a warning than anything else and for once he accepts that it's best to keep quiet.

If the other deal is a room with a bed, he doesn't want to know what a flat out refusal get's him.

"Quite right." He say's sweetly. "I'll be so good, you won't even know it's me."

Walsh looks annoyed. "I had better not."

"You teach psychology, don't you?" Ethan asks before he can stop himself.

She gives a curt nod.

"I've always heard people take psych to figure themselves out. I can't imagine what that say's about the head of the department. Those who can, I suppose and those that teach." He shrug.

She looks livid and made of iron and he gains a tremendous amount of satisfaction from that.

The lawyer is enjoying it too but she clears her throat. "If it's all the same to you Mr. Rayne, Wolfram and Hart would like to see you on the plane as soon as possible."

He tuts, mockingly. "Of course. First class?" He asks.

"I'm afraid not. The short notice of the matter prevented us form procuring you preferential accommodations. You'll be flying economy."

Oh, that is insulting but he takes it with caution, he's not really in a position to barter or complain.

He flashes a sweet smile at Walsh and darts out after his shapely bit of councile.

"Once you're out of the country we strongly advise against your returning to it." She say's leading him down a hallway and then miraculously out a secret door and back into the world.

Sunnydale University.

How quaint.

he only smirks, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do you?"

"Our constituents do." She say's, voice meaningful and he wonders which nasties are their constituents. Which are her's specifically.

"Ah, of course but I did promise to behave, didn't I?"

"The promises of chaos mages are seldom taken at face value."

"Now that's clever." He say's.

She smirks again. "You should have done an internship with us. We probably could have even found a place for you at the firm."

"Oh yes, the the mail boy." He snorts. "No thank you."

She doesn't seem insulted and he's driven then to an airport in relative comfort. She doesn't drive.

"Drink, Mr. Rayne?" She offers. The limo has a mini bar as well as a driver. How fantastic and unnecessary.

"Only if you're offering." He say's.

She smirks again, lips sharp as her tongue. "I am. Here's to success."

he clinks little glasses with her. "Yes indeed." He say's.

"And to you leaving the country."

"Yes, back to sunny old England."

"Not the forecast you'll be arriving in." She say's.

He isn't surprised at all that she's looked ahead and sips his drink feeling rather pleased with himself. Rupert might have thought he'd really gotten the better of him this time but he should have known.

Ethan always has tricks up his sleeves.

The attractive lawyer woman is eyeing him and he checks his watch. Unfortunately no time to see if he could get anywhere with it but she seems relaxed and she seems to like him despite her caustic nature. It's enough for him to suspect that he might have had a chance. He hopes anyway.

He files it away for his ego, watching as the plane he'll be departing on lands.

So it's off back to home, funny how he always managed to get out of things.

He thinks of the blond soldier boy with the beating heart of gold. Dumb kid, good heart apparently. He hopes he'll get a little more interesting. People always are more interesting when they start failing at being good.

"Your chariot awaits." Lilah say's, eyes amused and he offers her his hand.

She considers it and then takes it, smiling a little warily.

"If only we could have met under different circumstances." He say's and she actually laughs.

"If only." She say's. It's sarcastic but not cruel. "Have a good flight, Mr. Rayne."

He nods and heads out to the tarmac without a single piece of luggage and bruises still healing across him.

All in all, he's been quite lucky again.

#ethan rayne #buffy the vampire slater #fanfiction #lilah morgan #maggie walsh #riley finn #fanfic #buffy #btvs #angel the sieries #the initiative #one shot #wolfram and hart

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